Breaking News: SCANDALOUS Cancels Today's Shows; Carmello on Vocal Rest- Page 2

[tazber]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 2:50pm

At this point not opening is probably the best thing they could do.

It would save everyone a lot of embarrassment.

As far as employment goes, I think it's been mentioned in just about every thread regarding show closings that it's just part of the job.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 2:51pm

We're hearing around my office (a news outlet) that it will not open. Obviously I can't confirm anything (or reveal my source for obvious reasons), so take this as you will.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 2:52pm

Being on Broadway is 50% performing and 50% finding the next job.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 2:54pm

Wow, if it really doesn't open, I can't wait to see how Kathie Lee spins it on her show.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 2:56pm

@dreaming, I can understand an understudy not being ready earlier in the preview run, but the day before opening, I would expect that at the very least, the understudy for the lead should be ready to go. It opens tomorrow and I doubt the understudy will magically become ready in the next 24 hours. Are they going to cancel performances every time a lead can't go on once the show opens? People from out of town spend money and make travel plans based on seeing a show. To not have understudies ready the day before opening strikes me as really bad form.

Updated On: 11/14/12 at 02:56 PM

[eperkins]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 2:56pm

Interesting if it doesn't open. But if critics have already seen it - and I'm sure they have - they will surely review it anyway. So "not opening" will not save them from the poor reviews that are surely to come. Does anyone here know what they would gain by not officially opening?

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:02pm

Why would critics post a review if a show doesn't open? Isn't the whole point of their reviewing a show to tell the public what they thought so the public can decide whether to see it? If the show doesn't open, what's the point of reviewing it?

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:03pm

Friend says, "As of now. Public knows what we know. There are whispers of course of what's happening. Rumors of us being Spidermaned, I'll let you know tho".

[egghumor]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:03pm

as far as I know... they gain nothing from not opening... tax breaks, etc., plus Carolee Carmello and company are likely to be spared, perhaps even praised.

[eperkins]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:07pm

I have certainly seen shows decide not to open (but keep running) so they don't get reviewed, but the critics post the reviews anyway. Perhaps if they do close down to "rework," a la Spiderman, critics will hold off. But I doubt they will hold off forever. KLG should give it up. Why pour more money into this at this stage?

[wickedfan]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:13pm

The difference between Spiderman and this is that the Spiderman producers kept postponing the opening weeks before, not the day before. Announcing a postponement now would do no good. Everything's been reserved (guest list, after party, press coverage) and most of it paid for, not to mention the critics have seen it and their reviews are being edited as we speak. As egghumor said, they gain nothing from not opening tomorrow.

[Huss417]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:18pm

They posted this on their Facebook page about an hour ago.

Scandalous on Broadway
TUNE IN ALERT! Tomorrow morning, the Today Show will get SCANDALOUS! We have a special surprise for you, that will air during the 8:00 AM hour.

[dreaming]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:19pm

Yeah, the surprise is that they're not opening.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:22pm

If an above the title star is injured and has to withdraw from the production, there is the possibility that insurance would cover the premature closing of the production. That's essentially what happened when Tommy Tune broke his foot and had to withdraw from 'Busker Alley.'

If the creative time wanted more time to fix the material, they could simply delay the opening. The only time that critics have reviewed a show in advance of an actual opening that I'm aware of are for SPIDERMAN and a 1970s musical called SARAVA, which both pushed the accepted boundaries of the preview period beyond anything credible (SPIDERMAN had 182 previews / SARAVA had 38 previews in a time when most shows opened after 3 or 4 previews). SCANDALOUS could easily push out previews by another couple of weeks if that were their perogative.

Regarding whether the papers would actually post reviews if the show were cancelled; my guess is that most of the major papers would not. Producers do sometimes know in advance what a review is going to be from certain publications, and I've known of a couple of instances in which the papers agreed not to publish negative reviews upon reviewing replacement casts, at the request of the producers.

Not sure if any of that is at play in this situation; but it does seem likely that both performances today would have been major press performances given tomorrow's opening night.



Updated On: 11/14/12 at 03:22 PM

[eperkins]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:32pm

Last ditch effort? In all fairness, I'm going out on a limb here and say that KLG probably has no idea how bad the show is. She has worked on the material for so long and is so close to it, she has probably lost all perspective. And I'm sure none of her friends, family and co-workers are telling her anything different. She obviously believes in the material. So, in a way, I'm glad she is doing everything she can to promote the show. Better to go down fighting, n'est pas?

[Playbilly]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 3:44pm

Is Kathie Lee Gifford the Mitt Romney of Broadway? Denying the inevitable signs of defeat?

[eperkins]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:10pm

"There are none so blind as those who will not see."

[SKAcasting1127]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:22pm

I think Kathie Lee should go in as Aimee for tonights performance. Maybe, that is the surprise?....

[dreaming]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:25pm

For tomorrow, ska. I was thinking of that.

[ljay889]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:27pm

Hasn't Kathie said that there's no way she could handle this role?

[dreaming]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:28pm

Well, maybe she'll suddenly be able to handle it if ticket sales need a boost.

[eperkins]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:29pm

She did say that, but it might put people in the seats!

[SKAcasting1127]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:32pm

I was just being stupid....but....the show might sell out for one night to see that.

[egghumor]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:40pm

Kathie Lee to the rescue! She will now steer the Titanic safely ashore -- DAMN THE CRITICS Full Speed Ahead!(whether an empty house, or not!)

[newintown]

Posted: 11/14/12 at 4:41pm

That would be a gorgeous disaster of mythic proportions. Anyone lucky enough to attend could dine out on the story for the rest of their lives, like someone who actually saw Florence Foster Jenkins live.

Unfortunately, they would probably also be driven to put their eyes out and pour cement in their ears.